photo by carla mcdonald
Singer/actor Alexis Grace dancing under a bare lightbulb in the stairwell of B.B. King’s on Beale Street.
Photography became a serious pursuit for Carla McDonald about five years ago and in no time she showed how adept she is at seeing art and beauty.
It should be no surprise. Before her immersion into photography, McDonald ruled local stages as a belter of songs, a talented actress, and a comic presence with perfect timing. The resident company member at Playhouse on the Square played “an Amazon arch-nemesis,” a “heartless bathroom attendant,” and a “demure Sunday school teacher.” She was Evita, Little Edie, and Mrs. Hannigan. She delivered “knife-edged smiles,” “lanky good looks,” and “delicious evil.” Several Ostranders prove it. And she was one of the Bouffants, the campy girl group made up of huge wigs, micro-miniskirts, scads of glitter, and big voices.
photo by carla mcdonald
Memphis Symphony Orchestra assistant conductor Kalena Bovell leading the orchestra at the Orpheum.
But divas do what they wish, and McDonald decided to pivot. Now she’s mastered lighting and mood and f-stops. And as she knew how to make her characters come alive on stage, she now breathes brilliant life into her subjects through the lens.
To see more of Carla’s work, go to carlamcdonald.com
